|
|
|
|
|
Right, I am wondering about pillarless windows on a car. I'm not sure why it isn't more common, and in actual fact, am thinking they could be a solution to a problem I have with my Rochdale - I could be way off though, but just trying to think outside of the box, as my current window frames are a bit of a compromise. Anyone know what makes them possible or not possible on different cars. I used to have a Sunbeam Rapier that had pillarless side windows, but the door had a quarterlight. I am thinking more along the lines of no frame at all, like on the old Jag XJ6 coupes, and more modern Subarus amongst others. Anyone know what I would need to consider to make it work or not? I am burying my head in the sand about the engine issues on the car - retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readersrides&action=display&thread=87630&page=4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I understand the issue with pillarless windows is getting the glass to seal properly with the bodywork and getting the right type of seal so that when you wind the window up or down it stays where it needs to be.
There must be someone in the kit car world with knowledge of how to do it well, it might not be an easy job but on something like your Rochdale, a very desireable thing to have if you can do it.
|
| |
|
|
30psi
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,024
|
|
|
|
|
All my cars are pillarless. Some thoughts generally about the subject:
Maybe the absence of a B pillar is a design constraint in terms of strength and protection.
Also, the rear side window has to ideally be able to wind down all the way, maybe there isn't the space in the quarter panel (on the 910 coupe not all the window makes it in to the quarter section).
Security
Noise/sealing
Costs?
|
| |
1962 Ford Thunderbird 6.4L
1981 Datsun Bluebird SSS CA18DET
1981 Datsun Bluebird SSS SR20DE
|
|
VIP
South East
Posts: 8,296
|
|
|
|
|
I think the confusion here is between frameless doors and pillarless cars.
Are you wishing to retain the B pillar in your Rochdale?
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mmm, even I'm confused about the terminology.
Definitely NOT thinking about removing the B pillar, literally thinking about frameless front windows
|
| |
|
|
bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
|
|
|
|
Mmm, even I'm confused about the terminology. Definitely NOT thinking about removing the B pillar, literally thinking about frameless front windows Like an MGB GT? Castagna were widely recognised to be the first people to do it, they used bevelled glass which sat flush when closed... But they were a coachbuilder to the legends of Hollywood amongst others. There's a picture of James Dean with his feet up on the bonnet of a car, it's a Castagna... www.castagnamilano.com/en/Heritage/1950/index.html |
| |
Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
|
|
Jowey
Part of things
Posts: 933
|
|
|
|
|
The GTV has framless front windows.
They have a seal around the doorshut that the glass sits in and seals up.. in theory.
However being an Alfa these don't always fully line-up.
I always push mine into place when closing the door to make sure.
However with the windows down in the summer climbing in and out they look awesome.
Not really sure how you'd put it into practise. I'd imagine you'd need to effectively relocate the frames for the front windows into the door shut area so when you open the door they stay put but the door and glass opens up.
|
| |
2000 Mercedes E55 //AMG
1998 Alfa Reomeo GTV 24v
1997 Alfa Romeo Spider 16v
1996 Alfa Romeo Spider 16v
1996 Suzki Swift 1.0 GLS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gen 1 Chrysler Neon's have frameless windows so a scrapyard might be a source of decent modern seals.
Paul H
|
| |
|
|
MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,789 
|
|
|
|
|
All the small chassis Triumphs have frameless front windows, but generally speaking you can climb in and out the car through the gaps !
|
| |
|
|
RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
|
|
|
|
|
New mini's another with completely frame-less windows. Had a hill climb one in for alignment at college a while ago and its perspex front windows were amusingly floppy.
The MX-5 has frame-less windows, but with quarter-lights, the seals around the frame-less section seem to work well, they're basically a big squishy hollow seal.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
there needs to be enough glass still in the door tracks to support the wind and press it closed as it has no support at the top
|
| |
Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
|
|
rysz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,558
|
|
|
|
|
Impreza's had the same, classic ones anyway...
Rysz.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Calibras have them.
Mine were perfect until a shunt knocked the drivers door to hell. The supposedly pro insurance approved bodyshop could never get it to line up correctly after that.
Its all in the seal, which is stepped on the Calibra, providing a large flat surface for the glass to press against when the door shuts, but with a step that provides a small overhang to provide extra protection from rain running / being blown between glass and the flat part of the seal.
|
| |
1986 Panda 4x4.
1990 Metro Sport.
1999 Ford Escort estate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Opel manta's are pillarless doors and vary in how well they seal.
Having the glass a little to low and it wont seal, too high and it sits on the outside of the seal needing a push to get it lined up in place.
I often wind the glass down a bit and back up when you get in, so the glass lines up in the right spot and seals well.
On that subject i've always liked the idea BMW used with their convertible cars.
When you open the door the elec window motor pops the window down 10mm or so, then when you shut the door it moves back up
That way you can have a decent lip of a seal and it will fit snuggly in there every time.
Admitedly there will be sensors and loads of wiring involved and the need for elec wndows. But it works very well
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Landrover freelander boot door does that as well Mantasport. Although I cannot for the life of me think why you would want a winding boot window anyway but they do have one  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
our surf has an electric rear window that goes down into the tailgate and is frameless, its handy on that 'cos the tailgate drops downwards like a pickup so you can carry long stuff.
|
| |
Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My DAF coupe has pillarless windows, and they're horrible. The window hardly ever fits flush, and even from new always leaked. If you combine that with the fact that at 70 mph the windows are pulled outwards by about a cm due to aerodynamics it's no surprise DAF changed the doors to include pillar the next year  . |
| |
|
|
30psi
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,024
|
|
|
|
My DAF coupe has pillarless windows, and they're horrible. The window hardly ever fits flush, and even from new always leaked. If you combine that with the fact that at 70 mph the windows are pulled outwards by about a cm due to aerodynamics it's no surprise DAF changed the doors to include pillar the next year . Yeah know the feeling. When I'm in my auto coupe if I drive along and wind the window up it leaves a 1" gap at the top unless I'm doing less than 40mph. That auto one is slow, but when I once took the turbo one up to 135mph the windows popped out the seals and damn it got noisy. If I ever intend to go faster than that I'm going to have to get them taped up or something |
| |
1962 Ford Thunderbird 6.4L
1981 Datsun Bluebird SSS CA18DET
1981 Datsun Bluebird SSS SR20DE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Think this is probably a non starter then, especially as I have been planning to replace my glass front windows with perspex ones - they would probably bend so far out the side that I could chop pedestrians in half with them.
Cheers Guys, back to thinking of more ways to life complicated......
|
| |
Last Edit: Jun 9, 2011 13:16:15 GMT by alolympic
|
|
.